2018 General Election

How to Vote

ELECTION DATES

POLLING HOURS

On election day, polling places open at 7 a.m. and close at 6 p.m. Voters still in line after 6 p.m. will be allowed to vote. To avoid long lines at the polls, vote during non-peak hours: between 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m., and between 1 and 4 p.m.

IDENTIFICATION

Bring a photo ID, such as a driver’s license. Alternatively, you can also provide a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows your name and address.

REGISTRATION

If you are not sure whether you are registered to vote, you can check your information online or fill out an application. The voter registration deadline for the primary election is Jul. 12, 2018 and for the general election is Oct. 9, 2018. Need to update your information? You can fill out the same application.

POLLING PLACE

If you are not sure where your polling place is, find the nearest location online or call your county clerk (see numbers below under Need Help?). They ask that you call before election day.

WRITE-IN VOTES

They are not allowed under Hawaii election laws.

TIME OFF

Hawaii law entitles people to at least two consecutive hours off from work to vote if they do not have two hours before or after work to vote.

ASSISTANCE AT THE POLLS

Voter officials will be at each polling place to assist any voter who has physical disabilities or has difficulty with reading. They can help people vote curbside if they cannot leave their cars. Officials also provide other help. Voters can have persons of their choice help them in the voting booth as long as those persons are not the voters’ employers or agents of the voters’ employers or unions. For more information, please call the Office of the City Clerk Elections Division, TTY: 808-768-3848 (no voice calls are answered on this number).

ELECTRONIC VOTING TABLET

Voters with disabilities, including the blind, those who have difficulty marking a ballot or those who have other disabilities, may vote on devices call Disabled Accessibility Units. One will be at each polling place; poll watchers will provide help. For more information, please call the Office of the City Clerk, TTY – 808-768-3848 (no voice calls are answered on this number).

VOTE EARLY

Any registered voter may vote early by absentee mail ballot or in person. To vote by mail, you must submit an application or write a letter to your county clerk and specify the address you want your ballot mailed to. The deadline to request an absentee ballot is no later than 7 days prior to election day. To vote early in person, visit any early walk-in voting sites on the following dates: primary election Jul. 30, 2018 to Aug. 9, 2018, general election Oct. 23, 2018 to Nov. 3, 2018 — excluding Sundays. Click here for more information and a list of early voting sites.

FIND CANDIDATES

Want to see the candidates who will be on your ballot? The Office of Elections allows voters to view precinct ballots online. Click here to view your ballot online — enter your name and date of birth. The site will return your polling place and provide a link to a sample ballot.

NEED HELP?

For help on election day, call the state Office of Elections at 453-VOTE (8683). Neighbor islanders can call toll-free 800-442-8683 or contact their county clerk.

HOW TO VOTE AT THE POLLS

Make sure you have a photo ID or other item that shows your name and address (see IDENTIFICATION above) with your signature to verify your identity for a poll worker. Check your yellow voter registration notice for your polling place or check online.

Go to the line that corresponds to the first letter of your last name.

Verify the information in the poll book and sign the poll book to record that you voted.

You will be given a ballot. Be sure to check both sides before voting.

Go to the voting booth: Be sure to fill in the rectangular box next to your candidate’s name completely. The machine might not count your vote if this is marked incorrectly. Your vote will not count if you voted for more candidates than allowed in a contest.

When done, place the ballot in the ballot secrecy folder. An election official will tear off the ballot stub. Keep the stub as proof of your vote.

Go to the eScan ballot box station, where you will remove the ballot from the secrecy folder and insert it into the ballot feed slot.

If a voter mistakenly votes more times than he or she is allowed in a single contest, the machine will return the ballot and display instructions for each contest that require attention. The voter should see a precinct official to go through a “spoiled ballot” procedure to correct the error. If a voter does not use a proper marking instrument or does not properly mark the ballot or leaves the ballot blank, the machine will return the ballot to the voter and display instructions for each contest.